So Toki and I were bored at home yesterday and we decided to take a walk to the pet store which is an hour walk away. Toki took her time to sniff everything on the way so that added another half hour. After cramped feet and sweating like crazy, we made it. I was quite proud of myself because I hate going outside alone and especially down a main street for that long. I also have a pain condition so I was not sure I would make it but I did and I am actually quite proud of myself. I made sure to give Toki lots of treats at the pet store. Thankfully we did not have to walk back because Cory met us there. It was a fun adventure!

Like this:

I just got back home from a good day out with Cory (my fiancée) and Toki. We decided to go take a walk around the mall and just browse the shops. I had a few interactions with people today that I would like to share, because I want to blog more about our adventures and public encounters.

When we finished shopping at a store we decided to take a seat on the chairs in the mall which were arranged nicely with little tables. I got Toki to lay down in front on my legs and proceeded to have a conversation with Cory. While speaking with him I did notice a few stares but the worst was when I looked over and saw a whole family turn around and them come over and point at me exclaiming, “Oh look it is a Service Dog!” I seriously watched a group of people come over and point at Toki and I like we were a zoo attraction or something. It really upsets me when people don’t stop and think what a person feels like being pointed out in public. I am someone with a disability who needs my dog and when you point and say things it brings a lot of attention to myself that I do not want. I know people want to point Toki out because she is cute and a dog isn’t seen everyday in public places, but they have to remember that there is a handler attached to that dog and they need them for a disability. I see it like pointing out someone who has a wheelchair or a hearing aid. You would never say something because you know it is rude to do so. The same etiquette applies with a Service Dog and handler.

Later on, we decided to take a trip into Chapters to look at some books because I am always looking for something new to read and I collect art books. Toki was very well-behaved and laid down while we were browsing, she even stayed in her spot when I went down the aisle for a book. I was coming around the corner with Toki when I saw a young girl and her father coming towards me and I knew they had followed me from the aisle next to me because I saw them earlier. The father stopped me and asked, “Can we see your dog?” I then explained that she is working and a Service Dog. He then said to his daughter, “See that is why we ask first.” and left with her. I heard him saying as they walked by that I must be training the dog for work. I don’t know why people assume I am training Toki, I have heard it more than once. It really upsets me because I don’t know why people think that way. Maybe because I am young and don’t look disabled but we have to remember that not all illness’ are visible. I need Toki to help me and she is trained for myself. I am not training her for an organization or for the needs of someone else. I kind of wish the father knew more about service dogs so he could explain why Toki is working or why she can not pet her. I always feel bad saying “No” to people who ask so nicely, but Toki has to stay focused on me in public.

After a long time in Chapters we then headed to Starbucks and had frappuccinos on the patio while Toki laid down under my seat. She saw some crumbs from a sandwich sitting next to her and did very well leaving it alone. Although a few people made my day feel uncomfortable, I still had a great day out enjoying myself with Toki and Cory. Toki did very well and is now lounging on her pillow-bed while I make dinner.

I really hope to share some more adventures with you all soon!

All ready for a car ride!A pooped pup!

Please do not point and bring attention to a Service Dog as it brings unwanted attention to the handler.

Like this:

This past weekend Toki, Cory and I packed up and moved back to St Catharines from Niagara Falls. It is only about a half hour away but it is nice to be back where I feel at home and with friends.

When I was moving Toki spent a lot of time with my Nana and loved every minute of it; as I am sure she was given a few treats here and there. I was worried about leaving her while I moved things back and forth to the new place. It is always hard when I have to leave my Service Dog behind anywhere. I have gotten so used to having her with me all the time that when she isn’t with me, I feel like I am missing a piece of myself. It did make me feel better though knowing she was with someone I knew and trusted. I would never put her in a situation that would stress her or put her in danger. I have to remember that just as my health and well-being is important, so is hers.

Now that we have our belongings here, the task of putting everything away begins. The place we moved to is a lot bigger than what we are used to so it has been fun trying to figure out what to do with all the space we have. Toki seems to enjoy just laying on the couch and watching me as I put things away. She is such a lazy butt at times but she deserves it because of all her hard work. She also enjoys our large balcony in the shade and because we are on the second floor, I am not so worried bringing her out with me.

Since moving, we have been attending group therapy for myself and she seems to struggle with the sitting still for an hour and thirty minutes, which I can understand because I have a hard time too. We start every group session off with mindfulness and Toki started off not knowing what was going on and trying to get my attention (she makes sure I am focused on my surroundings) so she would lick me or put her paws on me. She now has learned that mindfulness is a good time in group and settles on the floor. I always tell the instructor that he did a great job because Toki is passed out. The other issue she is having is putting her cold nose on people when they are sitting close to me in group. I had a guy sit next to me and noticed that Toki was fussing and the guy was looking down at her. I looked down and saw Toki licking his leg like it was the tastiest treat. I was mortified that she was doing this so I corrected her and apologized to the man. Thankfully, he did not mind because he loves dogs, but this is something I have to work on with Toki- she loves to touch and lick people. I can not get upset because she has come a long way in her training and this is just a small bump in the road. I have to keep reminding myself that she is a living animal and just like myself she is going to have slip-ups. Other than the few issues I have had with her she has been doing great in group. Next week is our next session and I am excited to bring her with me because she makes it easier as I am less anxious around people.

I am hoping to be back on schedule and all moved/put away within the next week or so. I miss updating my blog and keeping up with projects. I look forward to the new adventures Toki and I will have here.

Here is a photo I snapped of Toki amongst the boxes in my living room. What a cutie!

Toki is a working dog who helps me with my everyday life and when I am on vacation she is with me. Toki does not work every second of her life and she does take some down time when off duty at home or when I am with family.

I am always asked if Toki is happy with working and if she gets tired of working all the time. I am pretty sure it is hard work and she does get tired but she does not work all day-everyday. When she is home she is just like any other dog and enjoys treats and fun in the backyard. Her favourite past-time is to chase her 4 cat-siblings around the house. She knows when the leash and vest are on that it is time to work and help me out with my day.

This past weekend was my first time away at a cottage with Toki. We were invited by friends and I was super nervous at first about having Toki with me. She has never been on any sort of vacation with myself and I was not sure what to expect. I decided that Toki would be off duty and enjoy herself while at the cottage with friends and another dog. Off-Duty meaning she was able to be off leash and play but she was still there if I needed her.

She had never been on a boat before and we had to take one over to the island the cottage was on. She seemed to enjoy the boat ride and even provided me with some comfort because I was really nervous. When we got there we were greeted by a big dog named Bruce who Toki seemed to really get a long with. I was afraid that a big dog would just see her as a toy to chew on but he was very well behaved with her. I think it was love at first sight because those two were so good all weekend together.

The next day we all strapped some life jackets on and went canoeing and Toki joined in on the adventure. She was a little hesitant at first but eventually made her way into the canoe and settled down. We canoed for about half an hour before making it back to shore where we decided to swim on the other side of the island. This was where Toki had her first swim with me and she did not like it at all; or so we thought. Later on in the vacation Toki actually came into the water on her own and swam to me. It was super cute to see her enjoying herself and it made me happy knowing I had her there with me. She also liked running around the island with Bruce and playing with him. They would chase each other from one end of the island to the other. Toki was a dirty mess from all the water and dirt so once we were back home it was definitely bath time.

I was very happy to be able to bring my Service Dog with me and have her go on a mini vacation herself. Now that we are home it is back to work for her with helping me out in public. Who knows, maybe another vacation will be in-store for us.

Some Service Dogs do not have to work 24/7, it depends on their handler and their needs.

Last weekend was our first large convention together and we had a great time. Toki and I have been to smaller conventions but Anime North is a much larger convention. Anime North is an anime convention held in Toronto,Ontario (Canada) and is held once every year in May. The demographic is a younger audience and is always a fun event filled with lots to do and see. I decided that this convention Toki would be on ‘semi-duty’; meaning I allow people to pet her and she would only have her vest on when inside the convention center. The majority of the convention is outside and everyone hangs out together so I thought it would be good exposure for myself and for her too. I even managed to make her a few costumes for the event so we could both enjoy the fun together as I cosplay at many conventions. I have broken up our adventure into sections just because so much happened that weekend and I want to share it all!

Hotel

This convention also meant staying in a hotel for a weekend. The hotel we stayed at was very accommodating and even allowed Toki to be without her vest when we walked her for bathroom breaks. I had to fill out some paper work and have them photo copy my notes so they knew she was a Service Dog and could be allowed access to the hotel. They even explained she could come to the pool area when I asked about it. I was so nervous I would have to explain myself to them and make a scene in front of people. It was nice to not have to feel anxious and stressed out about the experience. Toki loved the hotel room too and we had a great time with friends staying in the hotel room with us. It was a nice experience and Toki was very well behaved by the pool while friends and I swam and had a great time.

Convention Time!

Toki had a great time and even had her photo taken numerous times at the convention. People seemed to really enjoy seeing a dog in cosplay at the convention. I took the opportunity to explain that Toki is my Service Dog and what she does for me. It was nice having people truly interested in her work and not judgmental at all. I even managed to help some people who were interested in Service Dogs for their own mental health as Toki is a PTSD Service Dog. It felt really great knowing I was respected and so was Toki. I only had a few incidences where people pet Toki without permission and she had her vest on but I was very calm and explained that they needed to ask as she is a working dog. It was an amazing experience and I am happy I took the time to educate people on Service Dogs. Next year I am hoping to have business cards made for my blog because I had so many people interested!

Dealer’s Room

It was very hard to maneuver the Dealer’s Room as it was very busy and crowded. The main issue was that Toki is a small dog and no one bothers to really look at the floor when they are walking and shopping. It got so bad with people kicking or stepping on her that I had to have my fiance pick her up. I found it very hard to stay in there very long as my anxiety was very bad because of the situation. I could only imagine how hard it was for people in wheelchairs or with other mobility devices. I think that is one thing that conventions seem to not be very fun for and I wish they could make accessibility easier for for people who need the assistance. I was thankful to have my fiance carry Toki but I felt bad for people who did not have a choice. I think people just need to be more aware of their surroundings. I did manage to find a few things to buy; including some new Toki Doki charms for Toki’s vest and a Toki Doki button as well. So the stress and anxiety was worth it in the end I suppose.

Outside & Sun!

The weather this year turned out to be sweltering on the Saturday and Sunday and this meant lots of breaks for water and shade. Toki was in her sunglasses and doggy sunscreen and we made sure to hydrate her as much as possible. This is one thing I can not stress enough to people with dogs. Dogs can get heat stroke and become dehydrated just like humans can. They are also able to get sunburns too and they need to be protected. Look into doggy sunscreens and also purchase a pair of Doggles for your puppy. The Doggles are not only functional and great for protecting your dogs eyes but they are also a fashion statement too. Toki had so many people in love with her sunglasses and I made sure to explain that they are needed, especially because she does not have eyelashes or fur around her eyes due to a skin infection when she was young. So remember to keep your dog whether a Service Dog or not, out of the sun or provide them with the protection they need. I always am sure to keep a bottle of water for my dog with me and it really helped Toki at Anime North with the heat wave that we all experienced.

Toki’s Costumes

Here are some photos of Toki’s costumes which I made myself and went along with the costumes I was wearing for the day. The crowds of people seemed to adore the costumes on her and she seemed to like the attention and wearing them. It also gave allowed me to talk to people about her and her job. I love educating people on my Service Dog!

Lumpy Space Puppy

I cosplayed Fionna from Adventure Time so Toki was LSP!

Boop!

I went as Nora from RWBY so I made Toki a shirt that said “Boop” from the show.

More Photos

Photo by Terri BoakePhoto by Phil Gotfried Photographer unknown

We both had a great convention and we can not wait until next year to do Anime North again. The next convention we will be attending is this weekend at Niagara Falls Comic Con!